Updated 'Jekyll and Hyde' comes to Philly

Tony Award-nominated director Jeff Calhoun is putting his own stamp on a new production of "Jekyll & Hyde," the Tony nominated Broadway musical coming to Philadelphia's Forrest Theatre Dec. 26-30. The show, which ran for four years on Broadway before closing in 2001, is finishing up a new national tour before opening on Broadway again in April.

Calhoun, whose Broadway credits include "Newsies," "Bonnie and Clyde," "Grey Gardens," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Grease" and "Tommy Tune Tonite!" has given this new production a modernized design and larger production numbers. Composer Frank Wildhorn has written and reworked songs.

"Jekyll and Hyde" is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novella, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Dr. Jekyll, a London doctor, accidentally unleashes his evil alternate personality, Mr. Hyde, in his quest to cure his father's mental illness. The story follows the ensuing struggle between good and evil. Constantine Maroulis, an "American Idol" finalist and Tony nominee for "Rock of Ages," plays the dual role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. Grammy Award nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox plays Lucy, a "harlot with a heart of gold" that catches the eye of Hyde.

"This is a new production and is completely different from the previous national tours," says Calhoun, who credits the legendary dancer/director Tommy Tune as being his mentor. "The original show was set in the late 19th century but that pretty Victorian setting didn't excite me. I wanted to make the show look more dangerous, more like Hyde's world. The dancing is now more dangerously sexy and steamy punk. We also have more dancing compared to the original production."

Calhoun says he is a fan of the PBS television series "Downton Abbey," and was inspired by it to move the show into the early 20th century. He has also turned the show's original choruses into servants. "I have gotten rid of all those demented villagers who used to stand around in clumps and sing. They are now maids and members of the boards of governors."

"The show offers such beautiful music," Calhoun says. "The music is absolutely gorgeous and fuels everything in the show. All the CDs sell like hotcakes."

Among the show's songs that have been staples on the musical charts are "This is the Moment," "A New Life" and "Someone Like You."

Composer Frank Wildhorn ("The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "The Civil War") has never been a favorite among critics, but his shows always have been audience favorites.

"Jekyll and Hyde" has its own cult following known as The Jekkies. Area actor Chip Rohrbach is a Jekkie who is planning to go to the Philadelphia opening and also head to New York this spring to see it reopen on Broadway.

In 1998 he bid on a chance to have a walk-on role in the Broadway production through the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS auction.

"I had seen 'Jekyll and Hyde' several times before the auction and enjoyed the rock opera score, the simplicity of the production and the quality of the performances given by Robert Cuccioli, Luba Mason, Christiane Noll and the rest of the company," Rohrbach says. "I thought it would be a great experience to take my little community theater talents to a big Broadway production. And even though it's been 14 years since my night on the Plymouth Theater stage, I still remember it like it was yesterday."

Rohrbach was in six scenes and also was part of the curtain call. He wore an altered period tuxedo and was given mutton chops and a mustache to complete the look.

"I got a standing ovation on Broadway!" says Rohrbach, explaining how surprised he was that as curtain call was over and he was heading to change out of his costume, the star Robert Cuccioli announced that there was a guest in the cast.

"The stage manager came flying up to me saying 'Quick, head back to Stage Right!' I ran back up the stairs and flew to the wings. And then there I was center stage with the Tony-nominated lead gesturing to me to take my solo bow! It was truly an out-of-body experience."

Canadian circus entrepreneur Jeannot Painchaud was 16 years old when he left his home on an isolated island off the coast of Quebec and became a street performer in Montreal, who juggled, flipped and astounded people with his athletic and acrobatic prowess.

Today, 25 years later he is the founding head of Cirque Éloize, a leading contemporary circus company. His latest show ID comes to the Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem Dec.22 and 23 and then visits Philadelphia Dec. 26-30 at the Merriam Theatre.

Painchaud said entering the world of circus was like a dream. "I was good in sports and had a passion to perform. I also wanted to travel and see the world."